Why they decided to release it to the public rather than give their
methods directly to Sidney Lowe is beyond me. If 2009-2010 goes as
planned, the Wolfpack will need the help.

Yes, two N.C. State engineers say they've found the best way to shoot a free throw,
a combination of setup, release speed, and aim that, when
scientifically recreated, always leads to a made shot. The process is
simple physics and geometry -- notice how I say "simple", as if I
understand anything about physics, geometry, or even basic arithmetic
-- and sounds pretty straightforward, given the science involved:

First, the engineers say that shooters should launch the shot with
about three hertz of back spin. That translates to the ball making
three complete backspinning revolutions before reaching the hoop. [...]
Where to aim? Tran and Silverberg say you should aim for the back of
the rim, leaving close to 5 centimeters – about 2 inches – between the
ball and the back of the rim. According to the simulations, aiming for
the center of the basket decreases the probabilities of a successful
shot by almost 3 percent.

The engineers say that the ball should be launched at 52 degrees to
the horizontal. If you don’t have a protractor in your jersey, that
means that the shot should, at the highest point in its arc to the
basket, be less than 2 inches below the top of the backboard.

There is also something about a 52-degree angle to the backboard and a
high release that the researchers want to hammer home, but I stopped
reading because ew, math. Am I right? Learning sucks! Let's quit with
the boring stuff and get to the funny tongue-in-cheek quote from a
researcher, please:

"Our recommendations might make even the worst free-throw shooters –
you know who you are, Shaquille O’Neal and Ben Wallace – break 60
percent from the free-throw line,” Silverberg says with tongue firmly
in cheek. “A little bit of physics and a lot of practice can make
everyone a better shooter from the free-throw line."

I have a feeling Ben Wallace and Shaquille O'Neal and horrid free throw
shooters the world over are not exactly going to be persuaded by that.
The "lots of practice" thing isn't a problem. It's the "little bit of
physics" that will likely prove prohibitive. Interesting stuff, though.